Review:’The Smell of Other People’s Houses’ by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

Blurb: ‘Alaska, 1970: growing up here is like nowhere else.Ruth wants to be remembered by her grieving mother.
Dora wishes she was invisible to her abusive father.
Alyce is staying at home to please her parents.
Hank is running away for the sake of his brothers.Four very different lives are about to become entangled. Because if we don’t save each other, how can we begin to save ourselves?Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock’s extraordinary, stunning debut is both moving, and deeply authentic. These intertwining stories of love, tragedy, wild luck, and salvation on the edge of America’s Last Frontier introduce a writer of rare and wonderful talent.’

‘The Smell of Other People’s Houses’ by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock is the beautiful coming-of-age story of a handful of teenagers during the 1970s in Alaska, just after it gained statehood. It is told from several different points of view, which at times was a little confusing, because sometimes I was so engrossed in reading that I missed the change, but it didn’t change the fact that I immensely enjoyed this book. Every character is dealing with its own set of problems and consequences of decisions that were made. There is Ruth and her sister who have to move in with their strict Catholic grandmother. Alice, who would love to follow a dancing career but feels like her dad wouldn’t be able to cope without her. Dora, who is living a life full of abuse by her father. And Hank, who is running away with his two younger brothers to keep them safe. As we travel through these stories, it becomes apparent how intertwined the lives of these teenagers are and at the end it even brought a little tear to my eyes. A beautiful book inside and out (just love that cover!) which I will definitely recommend to friends!

Expected publication: April 7th 2016 by Faber & Faber (first published February 23rd 2016)

I have received this eBook through NetGalley!

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Review: ‘White Raven’ by J.L.Weil

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

‘White Raven’ by J.L. Weil

Blurb: ‘It only took one heartbeat to change my life—one chilling phone call in the middle of the night. And then, as if my life didn’t already suck, my dad sends my brother and me to some idyllic island for the summer to live with a grandma we never met. WTH. Naturally, I rebel. In the end, I find myself shipped off to Raven Hallow…and bored to tears. Until I get an eyeful of the mind-bendingly gorgeous Zane Hunter. The dark-hair cutie makes my pulse go bonkers, and I think, maybe this might not be so bad after all. Six feet of swoon inducing looks, with a hint of Celtic charm in his voice, he was the type of guy that left a string of broken hearts in his wake. And I had all the heartbreak I could handle. Yet, there is something uncanny, almost supernatural about Zane, and it’s not just his devastating smirk. No matter how much distance I put between us, Raven Hallow isn’t big enough, and the sparking tension between is undeniable. Of course, the one person I want to avoid becomes my salvation. My past comes back to terrorize me. Someone wants me dead, and the closer I get to the truth, the more I realize my whole life is a lie. I am no longer sure what is more frightening—the attempts on my life or the guy whose heart and soul are synchronized with mine.’

‘White Raven’ is the first book in a new series by J.L. Weil and apart from a few minor things that bugged me a little, I really enjoyed it!
After Piper’s mother was murdered, her grieving father sends her and her brother to Raven Hallow to spend the summer with their grandmother. They have never met her before and don’t really want to stay with her. Not long after arriving, Piper meets local boy Zane, who seems rude and distant and the more she gets to know him and his family, the more she is realising that not everything is as it seems on the island of Raven Hallow. In the course of the book, she will find out the truth about her mother and in turn, also discover her own destiny.
I enjoyed the plot, it includes a paranormal race that I don’t think I have really encountered much in books yet and it has some interesting characters. What’s not to like! I’m looking forward to the second book in this series!

Published March 27th 2015 (first published March 20th 2015)

I have received this eBook through NetGalley!

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WWW Wednesday #6 ~ 23rd March 2016

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three W’s are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

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I am currently reading…

‘The Smell of other People’s Houses’ by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Blurb: ‘In Alaska, 1970, being a teenager here isn’t like being a teenager anywhere else. Ruth has a secret that she can’t hide forever. Dora wonders if she can ever truly escape where she comes from, even when good luck strikes. Alyce is trying to reconcile her desire to dance, with the life she’s always known on her family’s fishing boat. Hank and his brothers decide it’s safer to run away than to stay home—until one of them ends up in terrible danger.
Four very different lives are about to become entangled.’

Expected publication: April 7th 2016 by Faber & Faber (first published February 23rd 2016)

I received this eBook through NetGalley!

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I have recently finished reading…

‘Dreaming of Antigone’ by Robin Bridges

Blurb: ‘Andria’s twin sister, Iris, had adoring friends, a cool boyfriend, a wicked car, and a shelf full of soccer trophies. She had everything, in fact—including a drug problem. Six months after Iris’s death, Andria is trying to keep her grades, her friends, and her family from falling apart. But stargazing and books aren’t enough to ward off her guilt that she—the freak with the scary illness and all-black wardrobe—is still here when Iris isn’t. And then there’s Alex Hammond. The boy Andria blames for Iris’s death. The boy she’s unwittingly started swapping lines of poetry and secrets with, even as she tries to keep hating him.

Heartwrenching, smart, and bold, Dreaming of Antigone is a story about the jagged pieces that lie beneath the surface of the most seemingly perfect life…and how they can fit together to make something wholly unexpected.’ 

Expected publication: March 29th 2016

I have received this eBook through NetGalley!

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‘Jane Steele’ by Lyndsay Faye

Blurb: ‘A Gothic retelling of Jane Eyre. Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked – but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors. A fugitive navigating London’s underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master at Highgate House, Mr Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate’s true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon caught up in the household’s strange spell. When she falls in love with the mysterious Charles Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: can she possess him – body, soul and secrets – and what if he discovers her murderous past?’

Expected publication: March 22nd 2016 by Headline Review

I have received this book through Bookbridgr!

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‘White Raven’ by J.L. Weil

Blurb: ‘It only took one heartbeat to change my life—one chilling phone call in the middle of the night. And then, as if my life didn’t already suck, my dad sends my brother and me to some idyllic island for the summer to live with a grandma we never met. WTH. Naturally, I rebel. In the end, I find myself shipped off to Raven Hallow…and bored to tears. Until I get an eyeful of the mind-bendingly gorgeous Zane Hunter. The dark-hair cutie makes my pulse go bonkers, and I think, maybe this might not be so bad after all. Six feet of swoon inducing looks, with a hint of Celtic charm in his voice, he was the type of guy that left a string of broken hearts in his wake. And I had all the heartbreak I could handle. Yet, there is something uncanny, almost supernatural about Zane, and it’s not just his devastating smirk. No matter how much distance I put between us, Raven Hallow isn’t big enough, and the sparking tension between is undeniable. Of course, the one person I want to avoid becomes my salvation. My past comes back to terrorize me. Someone wants me dead, and the closer I get to the truth, the more I realize my whole life is a lie. I am no longer sure what is more frightening—the attempts on my life or the guy whose heart and soul are synchronized with mine.’

Published March 27th 2015 (first published March 20th 2015)

I have received this eBook through NetGalley!

_____

I am going to read next…

‘The Second Love of my Life’ by Victoria Walters

Blurb: ‘Victoria Walters’ debut novel is a powerful tale of love, grief and survival, perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Lucy Dillon and Miranda Dickinson. “Brilliant and superior women’s fiction” Heat In the Cornish town of Talting, everyone is famous for something. Until recently Rose was known for many things: her infectious positivity; her unique artistic talent; and her devotion to childhood sweetheart Lucas. But two years ago that changed in one unthinkable moment. Now, Rose is known for being the young woman who became a widow aged just twenty-four. Though Rose knows that life must go on, the thought of carving out a new future for herself is one she can barely entertain. Until a newcomer, Robert, arrives in Talting for the summer… Can Rose allow herself the chance to love again? Get lost in Victoria Walters’ immensely touching debut novel, and discover a world that will capture your imagination and heart.’

Expected publication: April 7th 2016

I have received this book through Bookbridgr!

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‘Passenger’ by Alexandra Bracken

Blurb: ‘In one devastating night, Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has travelled not just miles but years from home. Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods – a powerful family in the Colonies – and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, his passenger, can find. Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveller who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to their target, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home forever.’

Expected UK publication: April 7th 2016 by Quercus Children’s Books (first published January 5th 2016)

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‘Rogue’ (Talon #2) by Julie Kagawa

Blurb: ‘From the limitless imagination of bestselling author Julie Kagawa comes the next fantastic adventure in the Talon Saga. Deserter. Traitor. Rogue. Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can’t forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he’d signed his own death warrant. Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order’s headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember’s own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George. A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?’

Published April 28th 2015

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Review: ‘Jane Steele’ by Lyndsay Faye

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

Blurb: ‘A Gothic retelling of Jane Eyre. Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked – but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors. A fugitive navigating London’s underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master at Highgate House, Mr Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate’s true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon caught up in the household’s strange spell. When she falls in love with the mysterious Charles Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: can she possess him – body, soul and secrets – and what if he discovers her murderous past?’

‘Jane Steele’ by Lyndsay Faye is a gorgeous read that is lightly based on Charlotte Bronte’s ‘Jane Eyre’. The book is full of ‘Jane Eyre’ quotes and dark humour, which made is such a brilliant story to follow. Jane Steele is an interesting character and despite her dark side, I really liked her and hoped for a good ending for her, which didn’t seem likely. We first meet Jane Steele as a young girl who, after the death of her mother, gets send to boarding school by her impossible aunt and later in life ends up as governess at the house of Mr Thornfield. Along the way, she is leaving a bloody trail of dead bodies. The first half of the book was fast paced and exciting and the time she spent at the boarding school was especially horrid. During the second half of the book, the story slows down a little, but I still immensely enjoyed it. Towards the ending the pace picks up again the end is something I didn’t think could be possible, while reading the first half of the book, but it was satisfying! I enjoyed this book immensely with its unexpected turns and twists and will definitely pick it up again and recommend it!

Expected publication: March 22nd 2016 by Headline Review

I have received this book through Bookbridgr!

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Stacking the Shelves #11

Hosted by http://tyngasreviews.com
This week, I have added a total of 8 books to my shelf! I have received 5 books in the mail, one of which was sent to me through Bookbridgr, had 3 eBooks approved on NetGalley and 1 eBook sent to me by the author!

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‘My Last Continent’ by Midge Raymond

I have received this ebook through NetGalley!

Blurb: ‘An unforgettable debut with an irresistible love story, My Last Continent is a big-hearted, propulsive novel set against the dramatic Antarctic landscape—“original and entirely authentic love story” (Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project). It is only at the end of the world—among the glacial mountains, cleaving icebergs, and frigid waters of Antarctica—where Deb Gardner and Keller Sullivan feel at home. For the few blissful weeks they spend each year studying the habits of emperor and Adélie penguins, Deb and Keller can escape the frustrations and sorrows of their separate lives and find solace in their work and in each other. But Antarctica, like their fleeting romance, is tenuous, imperiled by the world to the north. A new travel and research season has just begun, and Deb and Keller are ready to play tour guide to the passengers on the small expedition ship that ferries them to their research destination. But this year, Keller fails to appear on board. Then, shortly into the journey, Deb’s ship receives an emergency signal from the Australis, a cruise liner that has hit desperate trouble in the ice-choked waters of the Southern Ocean. Soon Deb’s role will change from researcher to rescuer; among the crew of that sinking ship, Deb learns, is Keller. As Deb and Keller’s troubled histories collide with this catastrophic present, Midge Raymond’s phenomenal novel takes us on a voyage deep into the wonders of the Antarctic and the mysteries of the human heart. My Last Continent is packed with emotional intelligence and high stakes—a harrowing, searching novel of love and loss in one of the most remote places on earth, a land of harsh beauty where even the smallest missteps have tragic consequences—“Half adventure, half elegy, and wholly recommended” (Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves). 

Expected publication: June 21st 2016

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‘White Raven’ by J. L. Weil

I have received this ebook through NetGalley!

Blurb: ‘It only took one heartbeat to change my life—one chilling phone call in the middle of the night. And then, as if my life didn’t already suck, my dad sends my brother and me to some idyllic island for the summer to live with a grandma we never met. WTH. Naturally, I rebel. In the end, I find myself shipped off to Raven Hallow…and bored to tears. Until I get an eyeful of the mind-bendingly gorgeous Zane Hunter. The dark-hair cutie makes my pulse go bonkers, and I think, maybe this might not be so bad after all. Six feet of swoon inducing looks, with a hint of Celtic charm in his voice, he was the type of guy that left a string of broken hearts in his wake. And I had all the heartbreak I could handle. Yet, there is something uncanny, almost supernatural about Zane, and it’s not just his devastating smirk. No matter how much distance I put between us, Raven Hallow isn’t big enough, and the sparking tension between is undeniable. Of course, the one person I want to avoid becomes my salvation. My past comes back to terrorize me. Someone wants me dead, and the closer I get to the truth, the more I realize my whole life is a lie. I am no longer sure what is more frightening—the attempts on my life or the guy whose heart and soul are synchronized with mine.’

Published March 27th 2015 (first published March 20th 2015)

___

‘The Smell of other People’s Houses’ by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

I have received this ebook through NetGalley!

Blurb: ‘In Alaska, 1970, being a teenager here isn’t like being a teenager anywhere else. Ruth has a secret that she can’t hide forever. Dora wonders if she can ever truly escape where she comes from, even when good luck strikes. Alyce is trying to reconcile her desire to dance, with the life she’s always known on her family’s fishing boat. Hank and his brothers decide it’s safer to run away than to stay home—until one of them ends up in terrible danger.
Four very different lives are about to become entangled.’

Published February 23rd 2016

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‘The Neverland Wars’ by Audrey Greathouse

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eBook copy to review!

Blurb: ‘Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That’s what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.
However, Gwen doesn’t know this. She’s just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn’t know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she’ll discover she’s in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.
She’ll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won’t be the only one. Peter Pan’s constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she’s going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she’s going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.’

Expected publication: May 9th 2016

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‘The Second Love of my Life’ by Victoria Walters

I have received this book through Bookbridgr!

Blurb: ‘Victoria Walters’ debut novel is a powerful tale of love, grief and survival, perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Lucy Dillon and Miranda Dickinson. “Brilliant and superior women’s fiction” Heat In the Cornish town of Talting, everyone is famous for something. Until recently Rose was known for many things: her infectious positivity; her unique artistic talent; and her devotion to childhood sweetheart Lucas. But two years ago that changed in one unthinkable moment. Now, Rose is known for being the young woman who became a widow aged just twenty-four. Though Rose knows that life must go on, the thought of carving out a new future for herself is one she can barely entertain. Until a newcomer, Robert, arrives in Talting for the summer… Can Rose allow herself the chance to love again? Get lost in Victoria Walters’ immensely touching debut novel, and discover a world that will capture your imagination and heart.’

Expected publication: April 7th 2016

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Some of the following 4 books I had pre ordered a while ago and some I had recently ordered and they all arrived on my doorstep during the week…

‘Burning Glass’ by Kathryn Purdie

Blurb: ‘Sonya was born with the rare gift to feel what those around her feel—both physically and emotionally—a gift she’s kept hidden from the empire for seventeen long years. After a reckless mistake wipes out all the other girls with similar abilities, Sonya is hauled off to the palace and forced to serve the emperor as his sovereign Auraseer. Tasked with sensing the intentions of would-be assassins, Sonya is under constant pressure to protect the emperor. But Sonya’s power is untamed and reckless, and she can’t always decipher when other people’s impulses end and her own begin. In a palace full of warring emotions and looming darkness, Sonya fears that the biggest danger to the empire may be herself. As she struggles to wrangle her abilities, Sonya seeks refuge in her tenuous alliances with the charming-yet-volatile Emperor Valko and his idealistic younger brother, Anton, the crown prince. But when threats of revolution pit the two brothers against each other, Sonya must choose which brother to trust—and which to betray.’

Published March 1st 2016

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‘The Forbidden Wish’ by Jessica Khoury

Blurb: ‘She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world…When Aladdin discovers Zahra’s jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn’t seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra’s very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes. But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart? As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.’

Published February 23rd 2016

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‘The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet’ by Becky Chambers

Blurb: ‘Somewhere within our crowded sky, a crew of wormhole builders hops from planet to planet, on their way to the job of a lifetime. To the galaxy at large, humanity is a minor species, and one patched-up construction vessel is a mere speck on the starchart. This is an everyday sort of ship, just trying to get from here to there. But all voyages leave their mark, and even the most ordinary of people have stories worth telling. A young Martian woman, hoping the vastness of space will put some distance between herself and the life she‘s left behind. An alien pilot, navigating life without her own kind. A pacifist captain, awaiting the return of a loved one at war. Set against a backdrop of curious cultures and distant worlds, this episodic tale weaves together the adventures of nine eclectic characters, each on a journey of their own.’

Published July 29th 2014

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‘Rogue’ (Talon #2) by Julie Kagawa

Blurb: ‘From the limitless imagination of bestselling author Julie Kagawa comes the next fantastic adventure in the Talon Saga. Deserter. Traitor. Rogue. Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can’t forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he’d signed his own death warrant. Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order’s headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember’s own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George. A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?’

Published April 28th 2015

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Review: ‘Dreaming of Antigone’ by Robin Bridges

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

Blurb: ‘Andria’s twin sister, Iris, had adoring friends, a cool boyfriend, a wicked car, and a shelf full of soccer trophies. She had everything, in fact—including a drug problem. Six months after Iris’s death, Andria is trying to keep her grades, her friends, and her family from falling apart. But stargazing and books aren’t enough to ward off her guilt that she—the freak with the scary illness and all-black wardrobe—is still here when Iris isn’t. And then there’s Alex Hammond. The boy Andria blames for Iris’s death. The boy she’s unwittingly started swapping lines of poetry and secrets with, even as she tries to keep hating him.

Heartwrenching, smart, and bold, Dreaming of Antigone is a story about the jagged pieces that lie beneath the surface of the most seemingly perfect life…and how they can fit together to make something wholly unexpected.’

‘Dreaming of Antigone’ by Robin Bridges is the story of Andria and how she is trying to cope with the aftermath of her twin sisters death. The book deals with a lot of issues that might make some people feel uncomfortable while reading, including drug addiction and sexual abuse, but it also includes some mythology and beautiful poetry. At the beginning, Andria doesn’t seem to be coping as well as her friends and family seem to do, but when she starts exchanging poetry with someone at her school, she seems to lighten up. Soon after though, everything seems to crumble around her when the true circumstances of her twin sister Iris’ death come to light.
I really enjoyed the book and all the different emotions that it brought up throughout. It included interesting characters, dealt with serious issues and the story held my attention all the way through. I am not sure whether there is a sequel planned, but it would be great to find out how Andria has moved on after everything that happened. Would definitely recommend this book!

I have have received this book through NetGalley!

Expected publication: March 29th 2016

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Stacking the Shelves #10

Hosted by http://tyngasreviews.com
This week, I have added a total of 3 books to my shelf! I have received 2 books in the mail and had 1 eBook approved on NetGalley!

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‘The Improbability of Love’ by Hannah Rothschild

I have received this eBook through NetGalley!

Blurb: ‘A smart, sweeping novel–at once satirical and moving–about love, a famous lost painting, and a dark secret from the past, set in the London art world. 

Annie McDee, thirty-one and recovering from the end of a long-term relationship, is chef for two sinister art dealers. She’s just spent her meager savings on a dusty junk-shop painting for her new, unsuitable, boyfriend. But when he doesn’t show up for his birthday dinner, it becomes hers. And amazingly, the painting speaks–though only we hear “him.” Shrewd, spoiled, charming, world weary, and cynical, he comments, from his unique perspective, on Annie and the modern world, but he also recounts tales of his previous owners: Louis XV, Voltaire, and Catherine the Great, among them. Once it becomes known that Annie has the painting–whose provenance involves the Nazis–she finds herself at the center of a frantic, and sometimes fiendish, scramble among dealers, collectors, and other highly interested parties, for its ownership. It’s a dazzlingly irreverent and entertaining many-layered tale of a devious world where, however improbably, love will triumph.’

Published November 3rd 2015

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‘The Great Hunt’ by Wendy Higgins

Blurb: ‘Kill the beast. Win the girl. 

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage. 

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment. 

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear. 

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people.’

Published March 8th 2016 by HarperTeen

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‘Crown of Midnight’ by Sarah J. Maas

Blurb: ‘From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil. Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart. Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie… and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.’

Published August 27th 2013

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Review: ‘The Mirror World of Melody Black’ by Gavin Extence

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

Blurb: ‘It all starts, as these things sometimes do, with a dead man. He was a neighbour, not someone Abby knew well, but still, finding a body when you only came over to borrow a tin of tomatoes, that comes as a bit of a shock. At least, it should. And now she can’t shake the feeling that if she hadn’t gone into Simon’s flat, if she’d had her normal Wednesday night instead, then none of what happened next would have happened. And she would never have met Melody Black . . . Wild and witty, searing and true, THE MIRROR WORLD OF MELODY BLACK is about the fine line that separates normal from not – and how life can spin, very swiftly, out of control.’

When I finished ‘The Mirror World of Melody Black’ by Gavin Extence, I closed the book and just had to sit and think about Abby and her journey for a while. The story felt so intimate and the main character Abby is very relatable and witty. After finding her neighbour dead in his flat, Abby’s life begins to quickly spin out of control and through her eyes, we witness the effect bipolar has on her life and the life of her family. But we also witness her difficult road of trying to get better and of finding herself again. This book has been such an insight into living with mental illness and how even small things can affect you, that the story and the characters will definitely stay with me for a while!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me this copy to review!

Published 10th March 2016 (Paperback)

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WWW Wednesday #5 ~ 9th March 2016

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three W’s are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

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I am currently reading:

‘Dreaming of Antigone’ by Robin Bridges

I have received this book through NetGalley!

Blurb: ‘Andria’s twin sister, Iris, had adoring friends, a cool boyfriend, a wicked car, and a shelf full of soccer trophies. She had everything, in fact—including a drug problem. Six months after Iris’s death, Andria is trying to keep her grades, her friends, and her family from falling apart. But stargazing and books aren’t enough to ward off her guilt that she—the freak with the scary illness and all-black wardrobe—is still here when Iris isn’t. And then there’s Alex Hammond. The boy Andria blames for Iris’s death. The boy she’s unwittingly started swapping lines of poetry and secrets with, even as she tries to keep hating him.

Heartwrenching, smart, and bold, Dreaming of Antigone is a story about the jagged pieces that lie beneath the surface of the most seemingly perfect life…and how they can fit together to make something wholly unexpected.’

Expected publication: March 29th 2016

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I have recently finished:

‘The Mirror World of Melody Black’ by Gavin Extence

Blurb: ‘It all starts, as these things sometimes do, with a dead man. He was a neighbour, not someone Abby knew well, but still, finding a body when you only came over to borrow a tin of tomatoes, that comes as a bit of a shock. At least, it should. And now she can’t shake the feeling that if she hadn’t gone into Simon’s flat, if she’d had her normal Wednesday night instead, then none of what happened next would have happened. And she would never have met Melody Black . . . Wild and witty, searing and true, THE MIRROR WORLD OF MELODY BLACK is about the fine line that separates normal from not – and how life can spin, very swiftly, out of control.’

Published March 12th 2015 by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

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‘You sent me a letter’ by Lucy Dawson

Blurb: ‘What if your worst enemy found out your darkest secret? At 2 a.m. on the morning of her 40th birthday, Sophie wakes to find an intruder in her bedroom. The intruder hands Sophie a letter and issues a threat: open the letter at her party that evening, in front of family and friends, at exactly 8 p.m., or those she loves will be in grave danger. What can the letter possibly contain? This will be no ordinary party; Sophie is not the only person keeping a secret about the evening ahead. When the clock strikes eight, the course of several people’s lives will be altered forever.’

Published March 3rd 2016 by Atlantic Books

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‘Throne of Glass’ by Sarah J. Maas

Blurb: ‘In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught. Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?’

Published August 2nd 2012 by Bloomsbury

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What I am reading next:

‘The Last Girl’ by Joe Hart

Blurb: ‘A mysterious worldwide epidemic reduces the birthrate of female infants from 50 percent to less than 1 percent. Medical science and governments around the world scramble in an effort to solve the problem, but twenty-five years later there is no cure, and an entire generation grows up with a population of fewer than a thousand women. Zoey and some of the surviving young women are housed in a scientific research compound dedicated to determining the cause. For two decades, she’s been isolated from her family, treated as a test subject, and locked away—told only that the virus has wiped out the rest of the world’s population. Captivity is the only life Zoey has ever known, and escaping her heavily armed captors is no easy task, but she’s determined to leave before she is subjected to the next round of tests…a program that no other woman has ever returned from. Even if she’s successful, Zoey has no idea what she’ll encounter in the strange new world beyond the facility’s walls. Winning her freedom will take brutality she never imagined she possessed, as well as all her strength and cunning—but Zoey is ready for war.’

Published March 1st 2016

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‘A Stolen Kiss’ by Kelsey Keating

Blurb: ‘A stolen kiss. An unstable curse. One big mess in the making. Derric Harver never expected to amount to anything more than the palace stableboy, but when Princess Maria’s curse keeps her from accepting a prince’s proposal, she turns to him for help, and he doesn’t dare refuse. With the help of a lady’s maid and a prince, Derric and Maria embark on a dangerous adventure to find the sorceress who cast the curse. Along the way they battle deadly creatures and make new friends–all the while struggling with the undeniable chemistry between them. Reaching their destination won’t be easy, but the true danger peril in the truths they’ve fought for years to keep hidden. A Stolen Kiss is the first in the Stolen Royals Series–an adventure with magical creatures, dangerous lies, and being true to the power within.’

Published March 1st 2016

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‘Jane Steele’ by Lyndsay Faye

Blurb: ‘Reader, I murdered him. A Gothic retelling of Jane Eyre. Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked – but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors. A fugitive navigating London’s underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master at Highgate House, Mr Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate’s true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon caught up in the household’s strange spell. When she falls in love with the mysterious Charles Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: can she possess him – body, soul and secrets – and what if he discovers her murderous past?’

Expected publication: March 22nd 2016 by Headline Review

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‘Lady Midnight’ by Cassandra Clare

Blurb: ‘The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series. Lady Midnight is a Shadowhunters novel. It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses. Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions… Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it? Glitz, glamours, and Shadowhunters abound in this heartrending opening to Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series.’

Published March 8th 2016 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

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Review: ‘You Sent Me A Letter’ by Lucy Dawson

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars

Blurb: ‘What if your worst enemy found out your darkest secret? At 2 a.m. on the morning of her 40th birthday, Sophie wakes to find an intruder in her bedroom. The intruder hands Sophie a letter and issues a threat: open the letter at her party that evening, in front of family and friends, at exactly 8 p.m., or those she loves will be in grave danger. What can the letter possibly contain? This will be no ordinary party; Sophie is not the only person keeping a secret about the evening ahead. When the clock strikes eight, the course of several people’s lives will be altered forever.’

‘You sent me a letter’ by Lucy Dawson is the story of Sophie who, in the early hours of her 40th birthday, wakes to find a stranger and in her bedroom. He hands her a letter which she is supposed to open and read out to everyone at her 40th birthday party later that day. She spends the day confused and trying to work out what to do, while her mother and her sisters are helping her prepare for the party. On top of that, she discovers that her boyfriend has a big surprise planned for her at the party.
At first I found the book very slow, but it definitely picks up when the party draws near and things start to happen towards the end of the book. The way the story unfolded was unexpected and certainly took me by surprise.

Published March 3rd 2016 by Atlantic Books

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